Bank strike cripples financial services in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Banking operations across Odisha were hit on Tuesday as around 40,000 staff from nearly 5,000 branches struck work protesting against reforms in the banking sector among others.

The strike was part of a nation-wide one-day agitation called by various associations and unions of bank employees under the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) — the umbrella body of nine unions which has given the strike call opposing the government’s move.

As the festive season has just begun, traders and common people from the State faced a tough time today due to a day-long strike by the public sector banks.

A large number of ATMs also remained closed, creating problems for the customers.

Sources said over 10 lakh bank employees spread in more than 1,30,000 branches across the country have struck work hitting cheque-clearing activity.

Mostly, public sector banks (PSBs) such as State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), UCO Bank among others had their shutters down.

Private banks, including ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra, however, opened for business as usual.